Round 1:
Herb Dean is the third man in the cage. Both fighters meet in the middle of the cage and start trading. Elliott accidentally pokes Gaudinot in the eye. Oof, that didn't look pleasant. After a brief stop in the action, we're back. Elliott snatches a single leg and powers Gaudinot to the mat, landing in half guard. Elliott gives up a guillotine attempt, allows Gaudinot to regain his guard, then stands. Flying knee misses from Elliott. Gaudinot muscles Elliott up against the fence. Gaudinot releases and tosses out a few low kicks. Furious action here. Elliott wades forward and dumps Gaudinot on his back. Elliott unloads a series of hammerfists and short punches from top position. Elliott lets him up, but continues to pour on punches and knees from the clinch. Elliott takes the fight back to the ground, landing inside Gaudinot's guard. This round was all Elliott.

Round 2:
Elliott mixing up his attack. Elliott lunges forward with a flying knee, then lands a salvo of short elbows against the fence. Gaudinot fires back and crushes Elliott with a knee. Elliott's hands are at his sides. Elliott ducks under a wild hook then counters. Elliott wades forward connecting with a combination. Elliott is taking control of every striking exchange. Elliott eats a kick to hit a power double on Gaudinot, landing inside his guard. Elliott advances into half guard. Elliott crushes Gaudinot's body with short elbows. Gaudinot tries to generate some space and scramble out but Elliott is stifling. Elliott dives onto a leglock attempt.

Round 3:
Elliott immediately ducks under a shot and seizes a single. Elliott completes the takedown, working into Gaudinot's half guard. Gaudinot rolls to his side. Elliott lets him back up. Elliott unloads a salvo of wild attacks, then eats a low kick on the way to completing another takedown. Elliott goes back to his bread and butter, mixing short punches and elbows with stifling top control. Elliott is relentless here. Gaudinot opens his guard and tries to hip escape, but it ain't happening. Elliott continues to work the body. The hammerfists rain down as the horn sounds.

Round 1:
Yves Lavigne is our referee for tonight's final preliminary bout. Varner circles left, blocks a high kick then paws out his jab. Varner lunges inside but eats a counter for his troubles. Varner lunges inside again and connects. Varner tries it once more but this time Tibau sees it coming and blasts him with a right hand. Varner cracks Tibau on the chin with a right hook. Tibau blocks a high kick. Tibau dives onto a single and completes it, landing in half guard. Varner scrambles to the fence and begins to wall walk. Varner turns and gives up his back.

Round 2:
Varner closes the distance then dives onto a guillotine. Tibau powers out and secures top position from within Varner's half guard. Tibau is working to isolate Varner's arm for an arm triangle. Varner gives up his back, then thinks better of it. Tibau is just overwhelming Varner here. Tibau continues to unload short punches. Varner rolls hard but Tibau just retakes his back. Tibau snatches Varner's left arm and briefly hunts for a kimura. Varner defends and scrambles into half guard, but this is still a bad spot. Varner is just holding on. The crowd isn't enjoying it. Tibau easily climbs into mount, but that's the round.

Round 3:
Varner needs to dial up his desperation. Tibau eats a stiff right. Varner follows up with a right to the body. Tibau ducks under a punch then perfectly times a power double. Varner scrambles back to his feet. Varner stalking forward. Varner rips into Tibau's midsection. Tibau cracks Varner with a straight left, then easily shakes off a takedown attempt. Whoa, Varner staggers Tibau with an uppercut. Varner closes the distance and changes levels, dumping Tibau on his back. Varner unloads a salvo of short punches. 90 seconds left. Varner has time to turn this around. Tibau eats another right hand. Varner's pace is slowing. Varner postures up and uncorks a few more shots. Valiant effort, but it probably wasn't enough.

Round 1:
Both fighters open southpaw. Poirier gets tagged with a right and drops to the mat, but locks up a triange as Poirier over persues. After a massive struggle, Poirier escapes and is nearly locked in another triangle, but they're back to their feet. Koch and Porier exchange knees in the clinch until Poirier keeps firing right hands standing until a massive one drops Koch hard to the mat. Poirier is trying to finish, but Koch is hanging on for dear life. Poirier sets up a d'arce choke and it's tight, but Koch hangs on.

Round 2:
Straight left connects for Poirier as he walks Koch back into the fence. And another as Koch over extends on a right. Poirier's whizzer in the clinch allows him to trip Koch to the ground. Poirier moves to back mount and then mount before Koch is able to stand. The two clinch against the fence with Poirier doing all the pressuring. Koch is able to hang on, but he's being controlled in every phase of the fight.

Round 3:
Poirier tages Koch with a left and pressures him into the fence. Off an awkward trip, Koch ends up on top close to, but facing opposite the fence. Koch lands two heavy shots on top, but Poirier so far in no trouble. Poirier tries to base out and Koch rolls him to take his back. Koch struggling mightily to get a choke while working a body triangle. The rounds ends there.